and now he's so devoid of color, he don't know what it means
by taakotaaco
Summary: There, he is named Vegeta, after his father, his father, and so on. He is given the title of Crown Prince of Planet Vegeta. (Vegeta of the Royal House of Vegeta, Twenty Eighth of His Name.)


Moments after his birth, he is wrapped in the red silk of his father's cape and given to the King. There, he is named Vegeta, after his father, his father, and so on. He is given the title of Crown Prince of Planet Vegeta. (Vegeta of the Royal House of Vegeta, Twenty Eighth of His Name.) His power level is the highest they have ever seen at birth. His father is proud as he gazes at his newborn son. King Vegeta sees a bright future. (Not for his empire, but for his son; for his empire is crumbling because of a false lizard god.)

He is four and his father is proud of him. They stand on the King's balcony, staring out into Planet Vegeta's capital city, Saiya.

"Boy, you've been taught about the Legendary, yes?" His father's voice is quiet, but still authoritative.

Prince Vegeta nods and looks up at his sire expectantly.

"You will be the next Legendary. Maybe not today, nor tomorrow, or even in a decade, but someday you will be the next Legendary, and you will bring even more honor to this house, and even more honor to me."

The Prince feels tears rising into eyes as he nods fiercely at his elder, "Of course I will, Father. I promise that I will make you proud."

His father clasps his shoulder and kneels down to his son's level, "You already have, Vegeta." King Vegeta looks sad, almost, like he knows something the Prince doesn't. Prince Vegeta's tears finally leak out of his eyes as his father brings him into his chest. That was the first and last time Vegeta ever hugged his father. (The first and last time Vegeta remembers crying due to an emotion other than pain.)

He is five and being taken away from his planet. Nappa, his guard and mentor, comes with him. Nappa's strong, but Vegeta is stronger, so he's not sure why he needs a guard. (Nappa's also very stupid, but that's beside the point.) Quickly things on Frieza's ship get boring, so Vegeta goes to the tyrant himself for a new mission.

Soon enough Vegeta sits on the ground of some now barren planet, surrounded by carcasses, eating a ration bar. His scouter beeps as a voice comes through the communications line.

" _Prince Vegeta, do you copy, sir?"_

"I'm here." He says after chewing.

" _Sir, unfortunate news from Lord Frieza, Planet Vegeta was struck by a large asteroid today and destroyed."_

Vegeta's eyes widen at that, "And, you're sure?" He takes another bite to gulp down his shock.

 _"Affirmative, sir. Frieza sends his sympathies and regrets. As of now, you are the only known survivor."_

"Oh, really?" Frieza sends his "sympathies and regrets"? Hmph, Vegeta is quite sure the bastard is having a party right now, toasting to the prince's race's death.

 _"Would you like to send a reply, sir?"_

"No. No reply."

 _"Very well, sir, over and out."_

He sits there for a few more moments before finishing his ration bar.

 _Father, what have you done?_ He thinks, staring out into the landscape around him.

Nothing, his father did nothing. He'll do nothing, in fact, as he's probably in Hell right now. Vegeta stands and brushes himself off. (All Saiyans go to hell. Even the Legendary.)

Vegeta doesn't think he loved his father. Vegeta's heard of "love", apparently the emotion is quite common in other galaxies. (There are thirteen different words for hate in his language, but none for love.)

Vegeta respected King Vegeta, because he was his sire and sovereign. One could even say Vegeta admired his father for his ability to lead his people. But, Vegeta isn't sad about his father's death, or even most of his race. Vegeta is sad that they did not have honorable deaths and were still leashed to a tyrant before their unanimous death. While standing there Vegeta swears on everything he still believes in (which isn't much) to have vengeance for his lost people and throne. (And then he throws up the ration bar he forced himself to eat.)

He wipes the vomit away from his mouth and stands there, contemplating. He doesn't know what his future is going to be like, now. Probably a shit-show. Technically speaking, Vegeta is barely a prince now. There's him, Nappa, Raditz, and maybe Tarble, if he isn't dead yet, that is. (Perhaps Raditz' younger brother as well, but Vegeta doubts he's alive.) Hopefully, he'll die before the shit-show starts.

Prince Vegeta is ten and a heavy burden sits on his shoulders. Vegeta begins to truly realize the amount of blood on his hands, but he's not remorseful. He's angry. He should have destroyed twice the amount of planets he already has. Frieza assures him he's doing a wonderful job and ruffles his hair playfully while Vegeta openly glares at him. In that moment, Vegeta swears on his honor that he will eviscerate Frieza one day. Somehow. Perhaps by becoming the Legendary. (That'll be the day.)

He is fifteen and partially insane. Vegeta plays a dangerous game with Frieza and his goons, now. He is trapped in a masochistic game that he is much too good at. Somehow he continues to win every round, but at the same time, lose as well. This is what Frieza wanted all along: a mirror, someone exactly like him. But, it doesn't matter anyway, there isn't much to see in Vegeta, anymore. (Maybe there wasn't much when he was untouched by corruption. Maybe he's always been this way. Maybe he deserves it.)

Vegeta of the Royal House of Vegeta, Twenty Eighth of His Name thinks himself an irredeemable, unlovable monster. After all, he's a Saiyan. (All Saiyans go to hell.)


End file.
